Pathways through the stars
by Alison Tears
Summary: Jane, a young hopeful medic begins her first journey to the stars aboard the R.L.S Legacy, captained by the stern but kind hearted Captain Amelia. As a journey wrought with danger and adventure unfolds, pasts are uncovered and feelings become real... Jane Porter/Captain Amelia Disclaimer: Characters from Treasure Planet and Tarzan belong to original copyright holders
1. Chapter 1

A cold and blustery day blew across Spaceport, beyond the pale blue sky the lights of distant galaxies shone through the hazy atmosphere. On the crowded docks hundreds of sailors, passengers, and merchants filled the air with a stream of voices. Jane Porter rounded the corner of dock nine, a suitcase in her left hand and her right placed firmly on her head, holding her hat in place. Several scrolls and papers were stuffed beneath her arm, a few of which, unnoticed, were buffeted lose by the wind and lost immediately. The ornate clock over the trade centre wall read, as she glanced up, five minutes to four and she quickened her pace.

She wondered why she hadn't taken the taxi, but the man behind the wheel seemed to leering at her through the glass… she shivered, and not just for the cold. Better to walk than to risk it. She didn't want any more unpleasant encounters today. Suddenly, as she arrived at dock ten the spaceship R.L.S Legacy towered before her; the bow was gleaming and the sails ruffling against a breeze, eager to be gone. The deck from where she stood she could see was already teaming with sailors as final preparations were being hastily completed. Pushing her way through the crowds mumbling "excuse me" and "pardon" she made her way towards the vessel, her heart trembling a little. This was it. She was finally leaving.

Reaching the gangplank she hurried up the steps as a tall and greyish faced man with a thin line of a mouth and horizontal slits for eyes was peering at a checklist. He wore the uniform of a sailor of the royal navy. "Everything seems to be in order…" he was rasping "Company present"

"Wait!" Jane called out raising her hand. "Wait, I…I'm so sorry you see I missed my earlier ride to port and…" her hat was blown up off of her head and onto the ship into a crowd of sailors "Oh!"

"Miss Porter, I presume?" The rasping grey sailor asked condescendingly "Well…you're just in time"

"Yes…again so sorry" Jane, having now made it on board repeated smoothing down her bright yellow skirts "I err…I'm the…"

"…medical assistant?"

"Absolutely, the medical assistant" beaming at the questioning gentleman Jane suddenly remembered herself and looked around hurriedly "Oh dear..."

"Would this be what you were looking for?" she turned around hurriedly, met with a tall feline woman wearing a royal blue coat, hat, tall boots and white gloves. In her hand was Jane's colonial grey hat. She looked down at the bewildered Jane curiously "It flew in front of my path"

"Captain" the man behind Jane immediately stood to attention "Everything seems to be in order"

"Excellent work Mr Baits. Please inform Mr Arrow that we are ready for departure" the woman returned sharply. The Man hurried away and Jane suddenly realising that she had not said anything, and dropped into a curtsey, then reconsidering reverted to a salute stammering "Captain…Madam, I err…thank you so much" she made to take the hat but Captain Amelia had turned the hat over and was inspecting the name written in scrawl-ish handwriting across the rim.

"Miss Porter?" she asked

"Yes Madam?" Jane asked eagerly

"Two things. Firstly, you will call me Captain Amelia upon all occasions where we are to address each other, do you understand?" she took Jane's meek nod as a sign of affirmative and continued "and the second is that you must not under any circumstances be late. I will not tolerate tardiness on my vessel and I will expect you to remember this from now on"

Jane was taken aback by the Captains stern tone of voice and was about of object but thought better of it and replied "Yes, Captain. I will see it does not happen again" not meeting her gaze.

"Carry on" Amelia handed Jane back her hat and turned to walk briskly away. Jane watched her leave, still holding onto her hat.

"Why, if I heard correctly, are you Miss Porter?" The sudden voice made her jump, and she was greeted by a man wearing thin metal glasses and a blue and white medic's coat. His skin was a delicate shade of lilac matching the dark purple of his eyes and his face was covered in a thin sheen of fur. "Dr. Albatross" he introduced himself, shaking her hand as she replaced her hat. "And you Jane are my new nurse correct?"

"Yes…" Jane replied distractedly with a waned smile

"Shaken are you? Well I'm not surprised…" they both shared a glance towards the helm were the Captain now stood conversing with Mr Arrow, a giant of stone "Reserve judgment, dear, she is a capable captain and an decent woman or so I believe. I've sailed under her command for this past year now."

"Oh no, I never thought…" Jane picked up her things which at her side had lain abandoned and glanced back up toward the Captain for a moment. "Well she…she seems very capable, like you said Doctor"

"I expect your tired" the kind man smiled "I'll show you were the sleeping quarters are, and the medical room. Were required on deck for launch, so we'll wait until we've broken the hemisphere" Jane agreed, and took the opportunity to look around her at the faces of the crew. Many species she recognised and a few she didn't but she supposed that Dr Albatross would have records that would enable her to practise medicine efficiently in accordance to their race. She could see no other humans and doubted that she would find any on their journey, and was suddenly gripped with a thrill for the unknown.

Seemingly in time with her thoughts, with a word from the Captain, Mr Arrow announced to set the sails. Groups of sailors dashed to the rigging and climbed the masts, unfolding the solar sails. The gangplank was raised and the rocket boosters lifted the ship into the sky. Jane rushed to the side and watched the Spaceport rapidly shrink beneath her as they soared towards the Orion nebula and the distant horizon.


	2. Chapter 2

Jane flicked open the lighter and lit it, stared at the shimmering light of the flame for a few moments and then snapped it back shut. Around her the creaking timbers of the ship echoed her shipmates snores resounding throughout the cabins. With one hand resting behind her head, Jane again flicked open the lighter, a smile on her lips. After the excitement of the launch, Dr Albatross had introduced her to her three fellow nurses; two melbargaynian men with blue lilac tentacles so alike they might have been twins, and a caristair woman, the same species as the captain, although unlike her she had dark ebony hair.

They had seemed quite surprised by her arrival."A human?" The caristair woman had purred in tones distinctive to her native planet. Realising her mistake she put a hand over her mouth, but Jane could still see the smile beneath her fingers. Once introductions had been made James and Adolf, the two melbargaynians, had warmly shaken hands with her and the caristair had introduced herself as Christina. In the communal nurses cabin her three companions slept across from her wrapped in a deep sleep. Jane sighed restlessly, and tucked the lighter back into the pocket of her new uniform. It would be an early start tomorrow, but the unfamiliar surroundings left her unable to close her eyes, a buzzing sensation still left over in her fingertips from taking flight.

Thinking of the distant lights, Jane suddenly wondered what what the stars looked like from deck above their heads. Sitting up she thought it over for a moment, and then quietly swung her feet to the stared at Christina for a moment. It was no secret that Earth was a little less technologically advanced than some other planets. "She thinks she's so supririor..." Jane muttered towards the sleeping feline. Then, for a moment, an image of Captain Amelia flashed before her eyes. Jane frowned and dismissed the thought, getting to her feet.

A stark chill had wrapped in self around the nights air, and Jane hugged her arms close to her wishing she had thought to bring a blanket. A bright silver blue light was thrown over the deck, made by the ships lights reflecting from the microscopic fragments in the artificial atmosphere, creating an illusion of moonlight. Jane kept within the shadows, well aware that she should not be out at this time. Far above her head and surrounding her were a thousand drifting stars. The distant lights of Orions nebula paled before the glorious wealth of the treasuries of space, swallowed by darkness and reborn again by light. It was breathtaking to say the least, and very difficult to tear herself away from.

With a sharp eye Jane caught sight of the patrolling officer by the helm, and shrunk back a little further into the darkness, not meaning to stay longer. It was then that she saw her. The figure was somewhat cast in shade and stood to the far left, their hands resting on the sides, staring out towards the endless beauty of the universe. Jane recognised first the hat and then the profile of Captain Amelia. Pale under the elegant light she smoked cigarette after cigarette, not bothering to extinguish them the glowing stubs lay around on the ground like petals. The expression on her face was agitated, but then lost, all feelings wiped clean as if by an invisible hand, and in their place a mask formed. Something sculptured, formal, beautiful and yet cold.

Jane wondered suddenly what the the captain could be doing out this late, and quickly rebuked herself. She ought to ask herself the same question; but then she thought that maybe the captain, like her, had wanted to see the stars. She was certainly staring out into space very intently, almost as though she were searching for something. It was said Captain Amelia was an expert on star formations and would have certainly seven these parts of the galaxy before. Curiosity drew Jane closer, despite knowing that if caught she could be in serious trouble, she felt a singular unity, perhaps almost like familiarity towards the woman. If only she could talk to her... "Halt! you there!" Jane froze as she spun around to face the patrolling officer. "What are you doing out on deck at this time of night?" He barked at her.

"I ur..." Jane stumbled, glancing again towards Captain Amelia only to find she had disappeared, leaving no trace that she was there. Jane wondered if perhaps she had imagined her entirely.

"Back below stairs before I report you to the doctor!"

"Yes sir" Jane affirmed, turning to return to her cabin, the image of the captain glowing in her mind.


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning was full of the reading and recording of Doctor Albatross's material regarding the anatomy of the crew members whose species were a little harder come by. Unfortunately this spoke for the majority of the ships company. Seated at the long square table in the Doctors cabin Jane stared dizzyingly at the thick volumes of text before her. It had not been long since breakfast and already she was struggling to keep her eyes open. "My, My Jane" James chuckled as she stifled a yawn "Having trouble with sleep?"

"Oh I'm quite alright" Jane smiled, a guilty conscience settling in her stomach. She kept her midnight excursion to herself. Somehow, though she couldn't explain why, she felt as though there were something not quite right about what she saw. The captains business was hers alone and she'd no right to interfere, but something about her had kept her up for the rest of the night. It was a little disconcerting, and made her thankful for the volume of work she had to keep her occupied. "Don't worry yourself James"

Christina, who was sitting to her right, looked at her oddly and Jane found it awfully hard not to look back at her. There was something of a divide between them since the first remark Christina had carelessly made. Now she was silent and watchful, studiously making her way through her own work. Her own pile of books was somewhat smaller than Jane's on account of her being a more experienced nurse. As a junior medic Jane was restricted to the study of carbon based lifeforms but was vaguely aware that Christina's work was more advanced, and furtively glancing at her neighbours books blushed deeply, confirmed of her suspicions. Her glance unfortunately did not go unnoticed. "Can I help you?" Christina asked icily.

"Oh! No, no I Ur… I'm just fine thanks" Jane replied, flustered, quickly riffling through her pile in an attempt to look busy. Then, at an attempt at manners and some form of conversation she continued "I suppose it was a very fine breakfast"

"Yes" said Christina slowly

"I must say I expected a little less, with ship rationing and the like"

"Well, it should not be a particularly long voyage I hope" Christina drew an underscore on her notes with some force, and snapped the lead of her pencil "Oh damn…"

"Here" said Jane, offering her the pencil packet whilst looking back to her notes. There was something about the small gathering of nurses amidst books and the dusty wooden furniture of the cabin that reminded her of medical school. The wall panelling darkened with age indeed resembled the panelling in the old library, and the smell of must, each fragment beam of artificial sunlight falling on each tome and the quiet sound of minds ticking together, moving, as it were, like pieces of clockwork. A deep stillness, settled into the books themselves so each movement it seemed was as of a figure submerged. In fact, all that was really missing was the lukewarm tea and the jovial faces of some the more arresting professors; in their sweeping black gowns. The memory brought a smile to her lips, but the smile quickly faltered. No, it would not do to think of the past…

"There now, how are we getting along?" Doctor Albatross's voice brought her back to the present with a jolt. "It is important to get through all of this as quickly as possible; today if you can"

"Excuse me Doctor, this is all very fascinating" said Adolf in a deeper, brisker tone "but I think in relation to actual practise there's a limited amount we can learn from these texts, as useful as I'm sure they are"

"Yes, there is no better way for you to learn, my dear boy, than when in the field" replied Doctor Albatross sternly "but theory is as important as practise, as I'm sure Christina here can tell you"

"Have you much experience in the field Christina?" James jumped in, eagerly. Adolf leaned in also, but Jane leant closer to her book.

"Certainty" smiled Christina "I believe I have served now under Doctor Albatross for two years." Unable to help herself Jane wondered suddenly at those two years, of what Christina had seen, had faced. She wondered how much, if in two years like her she remained as a ships medic, she will have changed. She knew the thought might have scared her perhaps a year since, but she was a different woman now to who she was then.

The morning continued, interjected with occasional small talk. Finding that she was managing quite well with her assigned work, Jane relaxed a little. She found she greatly liked James who was cheerful and eager, and never shied away from familiarity. His brother was quite different, more intelligent and less straightforward, but was patient and agreeable. Christina was aloof; Jane paled before a sense of inferiority she felt from her. Her eyes, dark like her hair, seemed always to be on her back when she least expected it. She was unnerving, but not necessarily cruel. Finishing early, James and Adolf left to eat their lunch in their cabin, leaving the two women alone.

For a while there was a prolonged silence, before, ever so slightly, Christina coughed into her fist. Jane's eyes quickly flitted to meet hers, before she snatched them away again. There was a pause broken only by the sound of Jane turning a page, and then Christina said "I suppose I ought to apologise" she waited for Jane to answer but when no reply was made she said quieter still "You know, I have nothing against humanity"

"Really?" Jane asked, and then stopped, quite surprised at herself.

"Yes, though I may have given the impression of another opinion" Christina continued, apparently unoffended. "In any case we cannot properly function as a unit if we cannot maintain a professional attitude"

"And therefore I… I suppose I am sorry for what I said before" Christina concluded.

She looked expectantly to Jane, who showed a weak smile "well I suppose that's alright" she finally answered. At least to a certain degree, she felt herself somewhat alleviated by the apology; the dense shadow drawn between them pointedly lifted, almost. There was something about the Carair woman she couldn't quite put her finger on, which she put down to her original doubts. Surely it couldn't be anything more. "I'll look forward to working with you Christina" she shook the woman's hands which she noticed were longer and more arched than her own.

"Well, I'm glad" Christina smiled, getting up from her desk for lunch. Jane listened to the silk like way in which she rolled her vowels. Struck by a new note of curiosity she watched the felines figure receding, and with a sigh turned back again to her paperwork. It was then, quite to her own surprise that her eye fell of a section of text partly concealed under the pile which bore a picture of a familiar face. Realising that the picture was of a Carair anatomical diagram she leafed through the pile to the document, guiltily looking around her as she did so. Not that there was anything wrong with reading the text, it had in fact been assigned to her, yet there was a vague premonition, perhaps fuelled by her still innate curiosity.

The document contained diagrams of both front and profile Carair of both sexes, and a punctual explanation thereof. Jane pursued it quickly, and noted how similar the two species, meaning her own and the Carair actually were. This was accounted for by the text due to similarities between Earth and the Carair's native planet, Rinexra.

At once Jane dropped the page, her hands trembling a little. She was glad for her seat. It all suddenly came to her, in a nauseous rush of remembrance Gripped with shame she hastily covered the sheet, removing the word 'Rinexra' from sight. It had been during the great war of the Ceralotian Empire. She had been twelve years old, maybe younger, but she remembered. She remembered sitting in the pale yellow drawing room with her father's wireless.

There was a sudden commotion above her, raised voices and the dimmed confusion of hurried footsteps in every direction. Jane sprung to her feet and half ran to the door, glad to leave the cabin, shaking the remains of half-forgotten memories from her mind.


End file.
